A TImeless Classic

There are something in life that are timeless classics.  You know those things in life that are cool/great all no matter what year it is.  My grandmother always commits on things and says they are timeless or just a classic.  She is normally referring to things like a piece of jewelry, a formal dress or a piece of furniture.  Some however feel that an antique car is a timeless classic.  I would have to say there are many things I feel are timeless classics.    

This morning MC and I went to partake in one of these classics, a silhouette.  This art form is truly amazing, how in world a person can fold a piece a paper and use a little pair of scissors and make something that looks like this...

I could not do this if my life depended on it.  In only 15 minutes she whipped out three of these little beauties.  My mom and mother-in-law are going to be so surprised for mother's day to get MC's little silhouette in a beautiful black with gold accent frame!

This makes MC look so big, which she is!  However it is hard for me to still believe she will be 2 in only one month!   I can't wait to have Baby #2's done when she is 2 also! 

Here's to the timeless classics in life that keep us laughing, loving and living!

Porches

When B and I started designing our home in the Summer of 2009.  I knew a large back porch over looking our pond was something that I was not willing to sacrifice on, B further sweetened the deal by adding an outside fireplace to the non-negotiable list with the back porch.

I guess it is something to do with growing up in the South, but a porch is not just a part of your house plan but I believe part of your lifestyle.  This might seem a little weird to some, but truly I believe it.  There is just something about a porch, it seems to be where my world stops and I can sit back and watch the rest of the world around me continue.  Whether I am watching MC play, talking to B while he cooks a steak, enjoying a good book when my house is quite or laughing with friends around a warm winter fire, our porch is my Terabithia.

There are several things that no matter time of the year it is you will find on my back porch:

• At least 6 different toys for MC to play with 
• 4 rocking chairs around the fireplace
• A picnic table
• Our Weber grill (charcoal that is, no gas grill for my husband!)
• Last on the list, but the not the least is our OCBS, the best thing in the world.  The Original Charleston Bed Swing.  It is heaven on 4 chains.  Also the people who make them are amazing as well!  I grew up swimming in Preston and Barbara's pool during the summers with their kids. 

Here is the little places in life that keep us laughing, loving and living!

Baby # 2 is.....

It's a GIRL!

A Must Read for All

Well as you all know I have joined a little book club adventure.  The Help is the book we are reading for this month.  I got the book and Saturday and can hardly put it down.  I think it is a must read.  As most good books these days, it is now going to be a movie.  Not too bad of a fate for Kathryn Stockett's first novel!  Grab a copy of the book and dive in so when it comes out on the big screen you can see if the movie truly measures up to this wonderful book.

Here's to the books and life's  little moments in life that keep us all laughing, loving and living!

Anticipation...

Anticipation is not my friend, I really don't like waiting to find something out.  I am not a huge surprise fan, I was that child that tried to find all my Christmas presents and still to this day the boxes under the tree that are for me drive me crazy!

Well this week is my week of anticipation, on Thursday we have our big 20 week ultrasound where we find out first and most importantly that Baby #2 is healthy and if "it" cooperates we know if it is boy or a girl.  It is such a huge day and a big appointment and I am pretty sure I am not going to be able to sleep towards in the end of the week! 

It's Garden Time!

Weather permitting this weekend is garden planting weekend!  We have all the seeds and are picking up the last of the pepper and tomato plants today.  This will be our third garden since we have lived in Huger, so I am hoping that third time will be the charm and we will have a super producing garden this year.  

So here is the line up for the garden:

• Yellow Squash
• Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• Green Beans
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Big Boy Tomatoes
• Yellow Tomatoes (I love these, they add color to a dish are just a bit sweeter than a red tomato)
• Yellow Bell Peppers
• Green Bell Peppers
• Jalapenos
• Okra

In my herb garden I will have the usual suspects:

• Rosemary (hoping to plant a bush and let it take off)
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Thyme (survived the frost and came back this year)
• Oregano (survived the frost and came back this year)

So here's to fresh veggies and herbs and all the wonderful dishes that keep me laughing, loving and living!

LIttle Minds....

I know I have said this before but here it goes again, I love being a mom!  Maybe it is because I have the most amazing wonderful little girl (I am not partial or bias at all!)  It is hard to believe that our little MC is going to be 2 in June.  It seems like yesterday when she joined this wonderful world.  At every stage I think this is my favorite stage yet, but the bests keep on coming.

At 22 months it is how her little mind is developing that is so amazing and fun to watch.  It seems like she goes to sleep at night and her vocabulary doubles in her sleep and her cognitive development does as well.  She now speaks in sentences, can say the alphabet, count to ten and  even sometimes "listens to directions".  I have that is quotes because she is only 22 months so the listening is a loose term.

With her brain absorbing so much all the time and her ability to talk has been an interesting for Me & B as well.  We have really had to clean our language up.  I decided that when she does to pre-school at our church next year, I would like her not to have any 4 letters words to share!

Well that is all I have in me today!  Here's to the little moments in life that keep us laughing, loving and living.

A Date with a Book

A couple of months ago some of the girls (really ladies, but that sounds too old)  I run with decided to form a book club.  I decided being in a book club would be lots of fun and we meet every other month which seemed to be realistic for me to read a book in two months.  I like to read however with out time deadlines (like in college) I tend to let a book collect a little dust on my bedside table in between chapters!  

What I think I am going to love about this book club the most is that everyone is super laid back, getting together to talk about the book is as much about the book  as it is getting together with everyone.  So if I don't finish the book I feel I still can go and not be banished to the corner for not completing the assignment!

Here is the list of what we are reading over the next months/year to come.  The pathetic part of this list is that I had 3 of these books in my secretary that I have not opened yet.  Apparently I was in dire need of a book club!  I challenge you to join me on this reading adventure and follow our schedule.  After each meeting I will re-cap the discussion on my blog.

May ~ The Help by Kathryn Stockett

 

July ~ The Red Tent by Anita Demant

 

September ~ The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

 

November ~ The Island by Elin Hinderbrand

 

January ~ People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

 

March ~ Hotel on Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

 

May ~ Plantation by Dorthea Frank 

 

So here is to my little reading adventure and the moments in life that keep us laughing, loving and living!

Veggies and Fruit

Well spring is here and that means all the great summer veggies and fruits are just around the corner.  MC could not be any happier about this news.  

At almost two if she has the choice between cookies or broccoli she will choose the broccoli any day of the week, really what child in America or adult for that matter would choose a veggie or a Girl Scout Cookie.  I tell you one thing she did not get it from me or her daddy! 

As I am typing this I kid you not she is eating steamed veggies that I am serving for supper.  No wonder we are in the 5% for weight there are not a whole lot of calories in veggies and fruit.  

Here is a list of some of her favorites to eat: 

• cherry tomatoes, actually she does not matter the variety, cherries are just super easy to eat
• carrots
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• corn
• peas
• green beans
• cucumbers
• spinach salad
• brussell sprouts
• bananas
• apples
• oranges
• strawberries
• grapes
• peaches
• kiwis

 
Okay, I think you get the point!  Here is to the little things in life that keep us laughing, loving and living!

The Green Stuff...

When I was prego with MC and now with Baby #2, I am craving/loving Mexican.  With MC it was guacamole, this go around it is the green tomatillo salsa from Moe's.  I love the salsa bar at Moe's, but my addiction to this salsa is so bad that I get at least 4 plastic containers every time I eat there!  That is just a little on the crazy side, I know but I love it.  I have tried the Harris Tetter Brand and the Publix brand but they are just not the same.   I even know which Moe's has the best and it is the Houston Northcut one for sure.  Next time you walk through the doors and hear "Welcome to Moe's", go run to the back for the green stuff!

Here's to the little guilty pleasures in life that keep you laughing, loving and living!

Bottles N' Brushes

If you live in Mount Pleasant or in Summerville and want a fun night out with the girls or maybe the boys too (B would not be into this at all, but I know there are plenty of guys out there that would) you should book a painting reservation at Bottles N' Brushes.  You don't have to be the next Monet to do this, just an open mind!

So here is how it works.  You look at their calendar online and see which paintings are being done that month.  If you see one you like you click and sign up.  When you come you bring your own bottle of what ever you want to drink (wine, beer or for those of us that are prego water) and snacks. 

When you get there is a canvas and paints waiting for you to let your creative juices flow.  They have a local artist/instructor that walks you through each part of the painting.  It is so neat each person does the same painting but each of them turns out so differently. 

This past Saturday, MT and I went and did a great painting of the bridge with the sunset in the back ground.  Since I could not run the Bridge Run this year, this was my way of "getting over it". 

You should check the website out www.bottlesnbrushes.com.  They have open sessions which is what is on the calendar, but you can also do private sessions or if you have a little one at home they do birthday parties.  I can't wait for MC to be old enough to do a painting party.

So here is to a little painting to keep me laughing, loving and living!

Somthing is in season

Almost 9 months of the year there is something is season that my husband enjoys to hunt or fish which means there is something always dead in my fridge!  I know that might make some people's skin crawl, but I am numb to it now.  

April 1st means jokes and pranks to many households, but to mine it is the opening of turkey season.   Which really means for the next 4 weeks any spare afternoon or morning that my husband is not working will consist of Gilly Suites, T-mobile decoys, slate calls and box calls resulting in most likely a body bag or two in my fridge.   The good news is he only gets 4 turkey tags a season!

Here is what my fridge looks like after two turkeys in the bag this weekend!  Who does not have dead birds in front of the milk?!?!?!

 My husband and his passion for hunting keeps him laughing, loving and living!

Hello Savings it it so nice to meet you!

I feel like such a nerd at the grocery store when I wait for the cashier to hit the total button to watch and see how much I saved.  Today was my best at the grocery store ever!  I shop 90% of the time at the local Harris Tetter, I have a VIC card which is linked with my email so I get special eVic specials.  I spent $60.15 and saved (drum roll please) $76.71!!!   I had the biggest grin on my face as the check out guy hit the total button, he double check to make sure it was right!  Almost everything was either BOGO (buy one get one) or  B1G2 (buy one get 2), this really adds up especially when you are talking meat!

Here is a sampling of what I got, really the big deals:

• Pack of 3 chicken breasts (B1G2) - the limit was 6 packs so you better believe I bought 6
• Smithfield Pork Tenderlions (B1G1)
• Cantelopes (B1G1)
• GoGurt (B1G1) - MC loves it!
• 100% beef hotdogs (B1G1)
• Kraft Cheese 8oz Bag (B1G1)
• Harris Tetter 5 lbs bag of apples was only $2.49

Not only am I a freak about the grocery store savings, I love Ebay and Craigslist.  Below is my latest Craigslist buy, a huge Swingset for MC.  It easily would have been over $1700 with all the things it came with, but on Craigslist it was $450!  The man built it himself and they took great care of it.  A little pressure wash for the wood and some soap for the slides it looks brand new!

So here is to Laughing, Loving and Living and saving some cash!